I went to the UK Apple Store website today to see how much an iMac would set me back - and notice that they don't come with an Apple Remote as standard, you have to add it on for £15 !!! That seems deeply rude to me, given the iMac costs £1800. My Macbook Pro came with one, why on earth doesn't the iMac? I mean, we're not all going to be using our iPhones as remotes.

Why do all my mac-related posts have this jarring ring of dissatisfaction about them? Oh well, once I sell my van I can afford to buy an iMac, and then I'll sell the MBP. The screen's just too small/dim, and I want to get on with music and animation playing.

What's wrong with a Mini?

I did think about the mini, but with the iMac, for an extra 15% on the price I'd get 3GHz instead of 2.26GHz - 1Tb instead of 320Gb HD - possibility to upgrade to 8GB ram.

Logic Express is a hungry beast, as is the animation software - both in terms of disc space and cpu. Plus the iMac would be just one thing to lug from room to room, instead of 2 and lots of cables .

Well, with Logic Express, etc, I'd imagine the iMac is much more capable than a mini. Wouldn't your current remote work with the new iMac?

True, but then I'm selling my MBP after getting the iMac, and whither it goeth, the remote goeth.

How ironic... I have extras sitting in a drawer.

The MBP doesn't come with a remote any more does it? Just checked. Nope.

To be honest , I never used the remote , in fact I don't even know where it is now ?

I don't use mine either but now I have a spare one for my AppleTV.

I use my remote a lot, but then that's because I have no TV, so my mac is my CD player, my iTunes hub (which aiports to my stereo downstairs), and my DVD player.

When I'm downstairs, I can use my iPhone Remote app to control iTunes upstairs.

I was just cranky when I wrote the opening post of this thread - I was preparing for a date with a gay baptist. Pff... heavens preserve us from people who can't make eye contact. So now I'm snuggling up with Bach and Radiohead instead.